By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ
COOKEVILLE – The West Side restaurants and businesses are coming together to help one of their own after fire devastated Crawdaddy’s West Side Grill early Wednesday morning, leaving more than 50 workers without a job just before Christmas.
Crawdaddy’s has been the heart of the West Side for many years, and many local businesses and restaurants credit them with being the catalyst for the West Side’s resurgence.
Several West Side restaurants have “adopted” some of the Crawdaddy’s employees, helping by giving them work shifts or taking donations for their benefit.
Soul Craft Coffee co-owner Anna Dunn said she was on the phone all morning with people who wanted to help.
“The West Side is a family, and we are all really, really tight,” said Dunn. “I just felt helpless this morning. I was thinking what about kitchen staff and other employees, and how can we raise money for them as a whole.”
Dunn has started a Go Fund Me page entitled “Christmas for Crawdaddys Employees.”
“We can give that money to Blue or Drew to disburse to all their employees,” she said.
Anybody not comfortable with contributing via GoFundMe can bring their contributions to Soul Craft Coffee, or several neighboring West Side businesses including 37 Cedar, Father Tom’s Pub, Nowhere Bar and Seven Senses Food & Cheer, and it will be added to the fund. If there is a special server or employee who you would like to designate a contribution towards, just put their name on the envelope and it will be directed to that employee.
Donations to the “Christmas for Crawdaddys Employees” page will be accepted through Tuesday, Dec. 22.
